The wind hasn’t completely gone out of their sails quite yet but Democrats’ last ditch efforts to derail Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination seem pretty tepid. Today they rallied around a CNN report published this week which found additional speaking engagements Judge Barrett had apparently left out of her nomination paperwork:
[Sen.] Blumenthal pointed to the new reporting surfaced by CNN’s KFile on Wednesday that public calendars from the University of Notre Dame’s law school, where Barrett was a law professor, show at least seven additional talks from 2004 to 2013, including one with the law school’s anti-abortion group, were not listed on her paperwork submitted to the committee. CNN’s KFile could not independently confirm Barrett’s participation in the events, only that they were listed on Notre Dame’s public calendars.
“The consequence of this rushed process is that we have given inadequate scrutiny to this nominee. I move to delay these proceedings so that we can do our job and ask, again, for all the documents,” Blumenthal said Thursday…
Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont also referred to CNN’s reporting in his argument for Barrett’s nomination to be delayed, saying that “records of her undisclosed speeches and materials continue to pour in.”
What’s the point of pounding the table over this when Democrats have already announced they won’t vote to confirm Barrett? Meanwhile, Republicans have set the vote for one week from today. But as it sinks in with Democrats that this is over, some have turned to hinting of future consequences for the GOP:
“The rule of ‘because we can,’ which is the rule that is being applied today, is one that leads away from a lot of the traditions and commitments and values that the Senate has long embodied,” Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., said.
“Don’t think that when you have established the rule of ‘because we can’ that should the shoe be on the other foot that you will have any credibility to come to us and say, yeah, I know you can do that but you shouldn’t because of X, Y, Z,” he said. “Your credibility to make that argument in the future will die in this room and on that Senate floor if you continue to proceed in this way.”
But as much as they may have some plans for retribution against the GOP in mind, Democrats are also turning their fire on their own party. Earlier today Allahpundit wrote about bubbling frustration over Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s hot-mic comments about Judge Barrett’s religious faith. But that wasn’t the only thing that set off the left. What really set them off was this moment at the end of the hearings when Sen. Feinstein thanked Sen. Graham for his “fairness.”
Democratic @SenFeinstein to GOP Senator Graham:
“I just want to thank you. This has been one of the best set of hearings that I've participated in…Thank you so much for your leadership.”
Feinstein needs to retire. Or be retired via the primary process.pic.twitter.com/7Bh2VzzeiH
— Leah McElrath 🏳️🌈 (@leahmcelrath) October 15, 2020
And if that wasn’t enough to make people on the left tear their hair out, the hug that followed was the last straw:
https://twitter.com/FirenzeMike/status/1316820625365889024
In response a progressive group called Demand Justice launched a petition to demand her ouster from the committee:
Sen. Feinstein has undercut Democrats’ position at every step of this process, from undermining calls for filibuster and Court reform straight through to thanking Republicans for the most egregious partisan power grab in the modern history of the Supreme Court.
It is time for her to step down from her leadership position on the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Justice Democrats and Brian Fallon were quick to promote it:
Dianne Feinstein must step down.https://t.co/vWp2w7BRr8
— Justice Democrats (@justicedems) October 15, 2020
As did Sunrise movement:
Once again, with the Amy Coney Barrett hearing, Senator Feinstein reveals herself to be an utter disappointment: one of the most unimaginative centrists in the Senate hailing from one of the most progressive states in the country. https://t.co/L0CVWMmhX8
— Sunrise Movement 🌅 (@sunrisemvmt) October 15, 2020
Plenty of others echoed the sentiment:
Diane Feinstein praising Barrett, and then inexplicably praising Graham, is a clear sign that she should not remain as the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee.
— Norman Ornstein (@NormOrnstein) October 15, 2020
I’m afraid I agree, much as I like Senator Feinstein personally and admired her work years ago . . . https://t.co/6IvX9rO7J0
— Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) October 15, 2020
Someone like Feinstein who is so out of step with the rest of the party should not be the lead Democrat on the Judiciary Committee.
— Ben Rhodes (@brhodes) October 15, 2020
Dianne Feinstein is the epitome of Democratic Party weakness. You don’t thank someone for robbing you. https://t.co/CGQdoJu8kd
— Adam Best (@adamcbest) October 15, 2020
Californians need to call Feinstein’s office NOW: 202-224-3841 https://t.co/67Bc1mlJ4f
— Travis Helwig (@travishelwig) October 15, 2020
I really can't get over what a betrayal this moment was to the thousands (millions?) of progressive activists who have worked their asses off fighting Barrett's confirmation tooth and nail. Feinstein should be ashamed, and she should step down immediately. https://t.co/uPVDeQgrlC
— Mark Joseph Stern (@mjs_DC) October 15, 2020
Progressive Democrats are angry about this looming loss and it looks like Sen. Feinstein is going to be the first to feel the full force of that anger.
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